A digital book, which is also known as an electronic book or an e-book, is the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book. Conveniently, digital books may be read on personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones, etc., or on dedicated hardware devices known as digital book readers, e-book readers or e-book devices, etc. Typically, digital books are structured as virtual frames presented on a display device. During a reading session a user may turn or change from one virtual frame or “page” to another. Advantageously, the “pages” are not fixed permanently, and may be redefined or repaginated based on variances in display conditions, such as screen size, font type or size, margins, line spacing, resolution, etc.
Digital books currently offer several advantages over conventional printed books. For instance: text can be searched automatically and cross-referenced using hyperlinks; font size and font type can be customized; non-permanent highlighting and annotation is supported; animated images or multimedia clips are supported; reading can resume automatically at the last read page, etc. In addition, a single e-book reader containing the text of several digital books is easier to carry around than the same books in printed form, and the backlit display of the e-book reader allows reading in low light or even in total darkness. Although they require electricity to be read, the production of digital books does not consume the paper, ink, and other resources that are used to produce printed books.
Another convenience that is associated with digital books is the ability to purchase and download, or download and store, a selection directly from a digital library or commercial site. Some e-book readers, such as for instance Amazon's Kindle 2, use a 3G wireless network to allow the user to download digital books directly to the device, even if a Wi-Fi hotspot is not available. Other devices that can be “repurposed” for reading digital books, such as for instance Apple's IPod Touch, achieve similar functionality using a local wireless network connection.
Since digital books are displayed using electronic devices, narration is made possible whereby the text of a digital book is presented to a user in audible form, such as for instance via integrated speakers of the electronic device or via external headphones. Narration requires the provision of soundtrack data, which is specific to each digital book. Conveniently, a young child may use a narrated digital book without full adult assistance, or an older user may choose to enjoy the relaxing experience of having the digital book read to them. Although the narration feature is convenient, different users may enjoy the experience to differing degrees since the narrator's voice may not appeal equally to all readers. In some instances, the narrator's voice may not seem to suit the content of the digital book. In addition, children may experience the feeling that the story is being read to them by a stranger. Other personal preferences may also affect the user's enjoyment of the narrated digital book.
In general, children prefer to hear a parent or grandparent or another familiar voice reading a story. Furthermore, children prefer to have the same story read to them in a different way each time it is read. Children tend to enjoy hearing different reading styles, different expressions, etc. Unfortunately, stored narrations of digital books provide a very static reading experience, and they are not easily adapted to suit a current preference of a child.
It would be advantageous to provide a method and system for narrating a digital book that overcomes at least some of the above-mentioned limitations.